Who the hell do you think WE are?

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マインド・ゲーム, anyone?

I’ve been virtually non-existent for at least two weeks, I think, only popping up here and there. Once again, partially due to the looming storm of college, and partially because I dislike writing episodic summaries (which summarizes the very existence of what I write, so I’ll be changing what I “spew out” around here, hopefully).

I’m sorry that I’ve missed so many things to blog on, but none of them seem to interest me now (maybe for Fall Season?). The only thing I’ve been interested in recently, regarding my watching habits, are movies.

Recognize the weird animation? It’s from Mind Game. And it seriously does take you on a mind trip, but in a good way.

The animation is weird, the montages are weird, the whole entire story is incredibly unbelievable – and yet, it all could happen. So, what IS the moral of the story? As it’s seen on Nishi’s cellphone in the beginning credits: “Your life is the result of your own decisions.”

Only Nishi has to learn this lesson the hard way. Running into Myon getting her foot stuck in the door of the train was the worst thing for him, because the situation turns steadily worse. It leads us to probably the funniest scene in the entire movie – Nishi getting killed by a yakuza who shoots him in the butt. (Which I know I should never laugh at, should I ever come across seeing it in RL.)

But it can’t possibly end like this, and after meeting up with “God”, Nishi ends up back on Earth, in the same position. Not ready to suffer the same humiliation from before, Nishi escapes from the situation. Awesome twisting-butt-combo..

Anyhow, the entire movie is around two hours, so I’m not going to go through with a detailed explanation. It’s incredible, what Nishi goes through to understand and realize that his life is governed by his actions. Being chased by yakuza, ending up in a whale, and running to escape the whale’s belly are all part of the buildup that the director uses for Nishi’s development. And it’s all exaggerated for enjoyment, of course.

Seriously? What kind of whale can swallow an airplane, a train, a boat, and a building? Nevertheless, despite the gross exaggerations, the director’s intent is clear. It’s only after realizing that he has control over his life through what he does that Nishi literally “steps” out of the darkness and into the light.

And in one brilliant scene near the ending, Nishi sees the sky and the city below him, sparkling blue. He can see a montage of how each of the characters can live different lives through each of their own actions and decisions. But the image becomes blurred – and as viewers, we come to understand that it’s Nishi’s tears from being blown away at seeing the world below him full of possibilities.

Really, I’d suggest watching it. It’s not perfect, of course, as there are a couple of scenes where I was confused and tempted to fast forward (two hours is a long time), but it’s pretty clear on what the director was trying to bring to mind. It’s something we all can relate to: how we chose one option over another option, and where the decision has landed us – whether it is a good or bad decision. And it isn’t something that’s ended; it’s a continuing cycle. If it isn’t clear enough, the director offers one last line:

Mirroring and juxtaposing the first scene in the beginning, Nishi’s cellphone now reads: “The Story Has Never Been to the End”. And this time, Myon’s foot pulls free of the door.

Misc.

Next up: the Genius Party eps, Tekkonkinkreet, The Place Promised in our Early Days (?)